The Cigars of the Pharaohs

The adventures of Tintin had been one of those few collections that had started its career with the same popularity as it is now, if not greater. The young reporter unmasking criminals all over the world had held the fascination of every comic book lover and to me it had promoted its status to that of classics. So when I again got my hands on The Cigars of the Pharaohs, I once more voraciously went thru it to feel the same excitement that had filled me when I read it first. Maybe I am exaggerating a bit as the sequences had been etched to my memory from the day I had first read it but even then the amusement and the thrill remained the same. As Tintin gets involved accidentally in a case of smuggled drugs while excavating the tomb of a great Pharaoh in Egypt it takes more than his ready wit to catch the criminals. As he gives the slip to the murderous smugglers and the police who wrongly suspects him of criminal activities it is the readers who enjoy a good laugh. The 62 page compilation of Herge still fascinates Tintin fans throughout the world and remains a cherished collection till today. Generally I have a feeling that translated works do not produce the same impression as the original. So continuing with my conjecture I am at a loss as I wonder what the French speaking readers feel as they go through the real one!